Chapter 11: The intimacy in front of others is indeed fake

Shen Sisi didn’t know what he was up to, and felt uneasy.

Seeing him completely controlling Chen Jianguo, the two chatting and laughing, her doubts deepened, but she suppressed them, obeying Gu Chengfeng’s unspoken command, only staring at him.

Gu Chengfeng’s expression remained calm, his tone mysterious and enigmatic: “Let’s settle it this way, I’ll prepare, and it will be delivered tomorrow noon.”

Chen Jianguo nodded and bowed, looking at him like a goose that lays golden eggs.

“Okay, I’ll move Tingting’s dowry.”

Zhao Shilan paused slightly: “Lao Chen, you want to use Tingting’s dowry?”

Chen Jianguo waved his hand, intending to push her away, but Gu Chengfeng’s intimidating glare made him retract his hand.

“You don’t understand, get out of the way…”

Zhao Shilan slumped onto the sofa, her heart cold. Tingting’s dowry was their last remaining asset.

If they gave it to Gu Chengfeng, what would Tingting do when she got married?

Gu Chengfeng snorted disdainfully: “Since it’s your cousin’s things, let’s forget it. It’s too much trouble to move it to the provincial capital. Let’s convert it to money for Sisi, seven hundred yuan should be enough!”

Seven hundred!

Chen Jianguo almost jumped up in surprise. Seven hundred wasn’t expensive. In Lin County, a good family’s dowry, including several dragon and phoenix satin quilts, a complete set of cookware, a solid wood cabinet, a dressing table, a sewing machine, etc., would cost at least seven or eight hundred.

The question was, was Shen Sisi worth that much?

He was in debt, where would he get seven or eight hundred?

But thinking of the bride price Gu Chengfeng would receive, he gritted his teeth: “Fine…”

Zhao Shilan couldn’t sit still: “Seven hundred, are you crazy? We don’t have seven hundred…”

Chen Jianguo glared, wanting to lash out but wary of Gu Chengfeng, quickly pushing Shen Sisi out: “Sisi, take Comrade Gu home, your aunt and I have something to discuss.”

Shen Sisi remained unmoved, her dark eyes showing a fierce restraint: “You’re deliberately getting rid of me, what are you planning to do to my aunt?”

With a strong backer, Shen Sisi spoke confidently.

Her arched brow conveyed a threat: You dare touch my aunt, I’ll have my man beat you to death!

Chen Jianguo was furious, but the man behind her glared, and he instantly lost his temper: “No, go quickly!”

Shen Sisi then turned to leave, closing the door behind her.

Her deliberately suppressed voice was urgent: “Gu Chengfeng, what kind of spell did you cast on my uncle?”

Gu Chengfeng smiled mysteriously, making a silencing gesture: “You’ll know tomorrow.”

This man was being cryptic!

She didn’t want to say, but Shen Sisi guessed roughly.

Knowing Chen Jianguo, he wouldn’t easily let her go, let alone give them her cousin’s dowry.

Unless… there was a huge benefit!

Just then, a rough, dry hand gently grasped hers: “Don’t worry, I’m fine.  Anything that shouldn’t be his, he won’t keep. What’s yours… I’ll get it all back for you!”

His gaze was firm, he already had a plan, it wasn’t just talk.

Although Shen Sisi was doubtful, seeing his calm and confident demeanor, he couldn’t be that stupid to fall into her uncle’s trap!

Feeling the heat from his palm, the turmoil in Shen Sisi’s heart subsided, and she didn’t ask any more questions.

“Okay, I believe you!”

Then she let him hold her hand, walking side-by-side with him to the entrance of the family compound.

Along the way, they were again watched like monkeys.

“Strange, why is Lao Chen’s house so quiet, they didn’t fight?”

“I heard Lao Chen laughing downstairs just now.”

“The sun rises in the west…”

Countless eyes stared at the young couple’s intertwined hands.

“Tsk tsk, they’re holding hands, that fallen woman actually found someone!”

Shen Sisi shyly tried to pull her hand away, but he held it tightly, even closer.

“Ignore them, a bunch of barking dogs, full of shit!”

His voice was loud, silencing the gossipers, making them blush with anger.

Shen Sisi chuckled: “If I cared about those words, I would have killed myself in the countryside. Don’t worry, those words can’t hurt me, I’m just worried about you…”

“Me?” Gu Chengfeng’s furrowed brows smoothed out: “I don’t need to worry. Gu Chengfeng has heard worse since I was a child. It’s just barking dogs!”

“That’s right, just barking dogs!” Shen Sisi raised her head and chest, walking quickly towards the setting sun.

Until they reached the outside of the family compound, where there was no one around, Shen Sisi quickly pulled her hand away from Gu Chengfeng’s.

“Senior Gu, thank you!”

Senior Gu?

Gu Chengfeng’s eyes twitched, a sharp pain in his head.

Sure enough, the intimacy in public was all an act!

His face darkened, his warm smile solidifying.

Shen Sisi didn’t know where she had upset him. He pursed his lips, his strong jaw clenched, his eyes cold and severe.

Before she could speak, Gu Chengfeng said in a low voice: “Go back, I’ll be there to pick you up tomorrow… I’ll keep an eye on the hospital, I’ll bring you the rifampicin when it arrives.”

His voice was pleasant, even suppressed, it carried an unconscious tenderness.

“Thank you…” Shen Sisi looked up gratefully, but he turned and strode away.

Looking at Gu Chengfeng’s hurried back, she was puzzled: This man is so unpredictable.

Regardless, she had passed the family test, and Niu Niu’s medicine was secured, everything was going in a good direction…

Gu Chengfeng was truly her benefactor!

Back at her aunt’s house, the room was in disarray.

Zhao Shilan sat on the sofa counting money, the money was a mix of small change, adding up to only about one hundred yuan.

“Sisi, take this money, your uncle will borrow the rest.” Zhao Shilan rolled up the money, tied it with a rubber band, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and put it in Shen Sisi’s hand.

She stared at the cloth bag in her hand: “Aunt, what’s going on? Are you really preparing a dowry for me?”

Zhao Shilan sighed: “Your mother died young, your aunt should prepare a dowry for you, it’s my fault.”

“Back then, your mother helped us get our jobs. Otherwise, your uncle and I would still be peasants in the countryside, we wouldn’t have this small house, this dual-income salary, and Tingting wouldn’t have the opportunity to go to the provincial art troupe.”

“We owe you so much…”

Zhao Shilan wanted to cry when she mentioned the past. When her sister and brother-in-law were alive, they had such a good family background. Her sister was the principal of Lin County High School, and her brother-in-law was the director of external publicity in the propaganda department. Shen Sisi was a daughter of a scholarly family and an official’s daughter, who knew…

Mentioning her mother, Shen Sisi felt a pang in her heart.

She knew her aunt felt guilty towards her and her mother. Seeing her aunt take out all her savings, she felt bad.

But thinking of Niu Niu’s illness, and the even higher cost of treatment at the provincial hospital, she readily accepted: “Thank you, Aunt…”

She wasn’t surprised that her aunt was preparing a dowry, what surprised her was that Chen Jianguo would actually go out to borrow money.

Soon, the whole family compound knew that Shen Sisi was getting married.

The bride price would be delivered the next day.

Everyone was curious about this “sucker,” and what kind of trash he would send.

After all, a fallen woman, how much is she worth?

They were all waiting to see Shen Sisi’s joke…